1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless devices and more specifically to a supplemental capacity unit for portable wireless devices, which provides increased computing capability for the portable wireless devices.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The advent of the computer has brought about an array of conveniences to everyday life. Computers in the beginning were crude and their tasks limited to basic operations. The basic personal computer started with subcomponents. The computer peripherals such as processor, memory, and storage, apart from input and out connectivity were enough for the tasks of the day. Internet requirements were not too demanding and thereby sufficient for the computer capacities of the day.
Advances in personal computer grew in speed with advanced processors, memory, storage and other capacities. Later, portability came into the picture with the laptop. Now users could use their computers at work, home, or in a mobile environment. With mobility came wireless connectivity, soon after Internet wireless connection came into being. Just as personal computers provided more capacity, laptops started to increase in speeds and capacities. Still the practical portability factor came into play with the laptop. The advent of portable wireless devices, such as tablets and cellular phones started to replace the laptop. Wireless connections have allowed wireless portable devices to replace personal computers and laptops.
Today the tablet is gaining ground on personal computers and laptops. The tablet's ease of use and wireless access to the Internet have made the tablet more popular. Wireless modems and routers allow anyone to connect their tablet to the Internet with a wide spread of hotspots. Unfortunately, tablets still lack most if not all of the capacities of personal computers and laptops.
Unlike personal computers and laptops, tablet processing lacks the capacities of their predecessors. Tablet processors are often risc processors and not cisc processors. The risc processors have limited capabilities in comparison to cisc processors, but do require less power, thereby extending battery life.
In addition to processing, memory sizes in tablets are also small in comparison to personal computers and laptops. Memory comes second in nature to computer architecture. The amount of memory that a tablet requires is for the most part the needs of small applications created by software programmers. Better known as apps, these software applications are limited in capabilities such as a full package software suite, or software program. Therefore, the memory of a tablet is a fraction of personal computers, laptops, and notebooks.
In addition to processing and memory, storage also comes into play. Because a tablet's processing and memory is limited in comparison, full fledged computer programs, and software suites are non-existent for tablets. Therefore, storing a full software program or suite is not possible for a tablet.
Further, tablet I/O ports, whether physical or wireless have limited connectivity. Tablets lack various standards in connectivity to other devices. The interface lacking on tablets include IEEE 1394 Standard, Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) and IEEE 802.8 Standard in addition to multi peripheral power supply. Wireless interface is more common to tablets as their small size limit the use physical interface ports.
Software limits are apparent as operating systems, office suites and software programs are not capable of being run on tablets. The operating systems of tablets have limited real time, multi-user, multi-tasking, distributed or embedded capabilities. Therefore, for the most part, tablets run small apps, which are shorten versions of regular applications. App's as opposed to applications are variants of subroutines that allow the user several operations, but limit the user to just a few.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a supplemental capacity unit for portable wireless devices, which increases computing capability, and increases memory and storage capacity of a portable wireless device for running applications and programs that cannot be normally run on a portable wireless device.